Dallas doctor sentenced to life for poisoning IV bags
DALLAS - A Dallas anesthesiologist will spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of tampering with IV bags and causing the death of a fellow doctor.
Former Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz learned his fate on Wednesday during a hearing at the Earle Cabell Federal Building.
Video presented during Ortiz’s trial showed him repeatedly taking bags out of a warming bin and then putting them back.
Prosecutors said he injected dangerous drugs into the bags at a North Dallas surgical center, causing 11 patients to suffer cardiac emergencies in 2022.
Evidence at the trial showed at the time of the emergencies, Ortiz was facing disciplinary action for an alleged medical mistake during one of his own surgeries.
Dallas doctor found guilty of poisoning IV bags
Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz has been found guilty of injecting dangerous drugs into IV bags at the Baylor Scott & White Surgicare in North Dallas.
A fellow doctor died after taking an IV bag home to treat herself for dehydration.
Dr. Melanie Kaspar’s husband testified during the trial. John Kaspar recalled trying to revive his wife with CPR before paramedics arrived but was unable to.
Then, 18-year-old Jack Alderstein received one of the tainted bags. His doctors testified he nearly died on the operating table.
TRIAL COVERAGE:
- Dallas doctor found guilty of poisoning IV bags
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- Prosecution pushes Dallas doctor's struggling businesses as motive for IV tampering
- Anesthesiologist who realized IV bags were behind patient emergencies testifies in Dallas doctor's trial
- Teen who survived alleged tainted IV bag testifies against Dallas doctor
- Dallas IV tampering trial: Administrators 'desperately' sought cause of spike in patient emergencies
- Husband of Dallas doctor who died from alleged tainted IV bag gives emotional testimony about her death
- Trial begins for Dallas doctor accused of putting heart-stopping meds in IV bags
Ortiz was convicted back in April on numerous counts involving tampering with a consumer product, resulting in serious bodily injury.
His sentencing was delayed on three previous occasions.
A judge gave him the maximum sentence of 190 years in prison, which is essentially a life sentence.